The Northern Sea Route: the potential of expectations and the real functioning problems

The main objective of the article is positioning of the Arctic regions as the participants of the federal Arctic strategy. The regions are analyzed in the context of improving the efficiency of the Northern Sea Route, perceived a very important factor in their economic and social development. Author compares some aspects of the competition between the NSR and the Suez Canal, with focus on the historical and economic desires of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk to be the main gateway to the Arctic.